Great Reads to Start 2015!

I read a couple great books recently that I thought I'd share, so you can get them on your TBR list for the new year.

Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade
This one drew me in right away with the charming bull rider and the love-struck college grad who marry on a whim in Las Vegas and then spend the next five and a half years a part. Great romantic chemistry!

Becoming Lady Lockwood by Jennifer Moore
I loved that this Regency romance takes place mostly on the sea during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800's. Both main characters were fantastic!

Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits by Mary Jane Hathaway
This was a really fun modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Loved the humor and the Southern flair.

Happy reading in 2015!

The Story that Started It All!

This is the book that actually began the Of Love and War series! I had Joel and Evelyn's characters in mind before I had the other books and characters. And I'm thrilled to finally be able to share their love story!


FROM A GREAT WAR, SPRINGS A GREAT LOVE

In France at the height of World War I, American nurse Evelyn Gray is no stranger to suffering. She's helped save the life of many a soldier, but when she learns her betrothed has been killed, her own heart may be broken beyond repair. Summoning all her strength, Evelyn is determined to carry on-not just for herself and her country, but for her unborn child.

Corporal Joel Campbell dreams of the day the war is over and he can return home and start a family. When a brutal battle injury puts that hope in jeopardy, Joel is lost to despair . . . until he meets Evelyn. Beautiful, compassionate, and in need of help, she makes an unconventional proposal that could save their lives-or ruin them irrevocably. Now, amidst the terror and turmoil of the Western Front, these two lost souls will have to put their faith in love to find the miracle they've been looking for.

Find HOPE RISING on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever else books are sold.

To celebrate the release of HOPE RISING, please join me and guest authors Jennifer Moore, Amber Perry, and Jennifer Delamere online for a Facebook party today from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. (mountain time). Here's the event link.

A Christmas Hope is Now Available!

TIS THE SEASON FOR SECOND CHANCES

Having experienced the heartache of unrequited love, Maria Schmitt desperately seeks a new life. Landing a position as a clerk in a Sioux City bank is just what she needs to get started on her journey toward healing. But a dashing stranger soon puts her job-and her heart-in jeopardy.

Saving lives was all Dale Emerson ever wanted to do . . . until a fateful day in France shattered his career as a surgeon. He lost everything that mattered, and the last thing he wants to do is resign himself to a life without medicine working at his uncle's bank. Then he meets Maria, a compassionate woman who can see past his scars to the man he once was-and the man he could be again. With Christmas right around the corner, these two wounded hearts may find that hope and a little holiday cheer are just the ticket to letting go of regrets-and embracing a future full of love and possibility.


I'm super excited for this release! It was a lot of fun to write a novella, especially a holiday-themed one set in 1918, as well as giving a happily ever after to these two characters. For those readers who've read HOPE AT DAWN (Of Love and War, Book 1), you'll recognize Maria Schmitt in this special holiday novella. But the novella can also be read as a stand alone.

Find it on:
Books A Million for $1.59
Amazon for $1.99
Barnes and Noble for $1.99
Google Play for $1.99

A Starred Publishers Weekly Review!

HOPE RISING (Of Love and War, Book 2) received a starred review from Publishers Weekly this week: "Henrie’s attention to historical detail and her ability to create multidimensional characters in a swiftly moving, immersive story make this a novel to be savored until the final page is turned."

You can read the full review here.

I can't wait to share this story on December 16th about Joel and Evelyn in worn-torn France!

Depression Era Cake - Sans Eggs, Milk and Butter

I made this cake yesterday and was pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out. Plus it's super easy and fast to prepare. Cakes like these, which don't require eggs or milk or butter, stem from the Great Depression days when people came up with creative ways to "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."

Going without and being creative with food wasn't a new mentality in the 1930's, though. In the U.S.during the Great War, food posters like this one were popular. Going without niceties like meat or sugar or wheat was a way to help with the war effort. In England, sugar was even rationed up until 1920!

Have you tried one of these egg-less cakes?

Depression Era Chocolate Cake*

1 1/2 cups flour

3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla

5 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients in a 8x8 baking dish. Make three depressions in mixture - two small, one large. Pour vinegar in one small depression, vanilla in the other small depression, and the vegetable oil in the largest. Pour the water over everything, then mix until batter is smooth.

Bake for 30 - 35 mins and let cool. Then frost and enjoy!

*For different flavors of this cake, as well as a gluten free version, check out this post from The Sweet Little Bluebird blog. 

My Recommendation: Unequal Affections by Lara S. Ormiston

What It's About:
When Elizabeth Bennet first knew Mr. Darcy, she despised him and was sure he felt the same. Angered by his pride and reserve, influenced by the lies of the charming Mr. Wickham, she never troubled herself to believe he was anything other than the worst of men—until, one day, he unexpectedly proposed.

Mr. Darcy’s passionate avowal of love causes Elizabeth to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about him. What she knows is that he is rich, handsome, clever, and very much in love with her. She, on the other hand, is poor, and can expect a future of increasing poverty if she does not marry. The incentives for her to accept him are strong, but she is honest enough to tell him that she does not return his affections. He says he can accept that—but will either of them ever be truly happy in a relationship of unequal affection?

Diverging from Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice at the proposal in the Hunsford parsonage, this story explores the kind of man Darcy is, even before his “proper humbling,” and how such a man, so full of pride, so much in love, might have behaved had Elizabeth chosen to accept his original proposal.

My Thoughts:
I happened to pick this book off the shelf at the library, not knowing anything about it. The premise sounded interesting - telling Pride and Prejudice from the stance of Elizabeth accepting Darcy's his first proposal instead of refusing him - so I thought I'd give it a try. And I'm so glad I did!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I can't remember if I read the original Pride and Prejudice or not, but I feel I know the story fairly well from the movies and other books. But I have to say I liked Ms. Ormiston's story just as much, if not a little more, than the original story. I loved getting to know Darcy so much more in this version, as well as Elizabeth. I loved how it explored things the original doesn't - like how Darcy would actually react to having to associate with Elizabeth's family or how they actually overcome their pride and prejudices for each other. The growing chemistry between them was awesome. It was a clean, beautifully written story!

My Recommendation: Unrivaled by Siri Mitchell

What It's About:
Lucy Kendall always assumed she'd help her father in his candy-making business, creating recipes and aiding him in their shared passion. But after a year traveling in Europe, Lucy returns to 1910 St. Louis to find her father unwell and her mother planning to sell the struggling candy company. Determined to help, Lucy vows to create a candy that will reverse their fortunes.

St. Louis newcomer Charlie Clarke is determined to help his father dominate the nation's candy industry. Compromise is not an option when the prize is a father's approval, and falling in love with a business rival is a recipe for disaster when only one company can win. Will these two star-crossed lovers let a competition that turns less than friendly sour their dreams?

My Thoughts:
I loved Lucy and Charlie - these are two flawed characters I felt like I could relate to! I loved the chemistry between them and how perfectly matched they were for each other. The obstacles between them were also realistic and not ones easily overcome either. The candy aspects were interesting and I really liked the time period and setting. I think one of my favorite things, that initially I wasn't sure if I'd like or not, was the first person point of view of Charlie. I liked seeing things from his side and perspective. I've long been a fan of Siri Mitchell's stories and writing style, and this book is another example of why I love her stuff.

Find it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.